NOVOCAINE left me comfortably numb after 100 minutes of John Wick style action, big laughs and a star making turn by Jack Quaid.
It's likely Quaid's curse and blessing that he'll rarely be mentioned at this point in his screen career without a tie to his nepo roots, parents Meg Ryan & Dennis Quaid. He's inherited their charm and comedic timing, fully on display as Asst. Bank VP Nate. Quiet and a definitive loner, he keeps his biggest secret to himself, at least until he goes on a date with teller Sherry, perfectly embodied by the fun and seductive Amber Midthunder from "Prey".
You see, he has a very rare condition that he's happy to describe in deeply medical terms that basically mean the dude feels zero pain.
The film has fun showing all the ways he has to protect himself from this fact. He's not Mr. Glass, but he can burn, slice and break himself without his knowledge.
The morning after is Christmas Eve and Nate and Sherry barely have time to make yuletide eye contact at the bank before a band of bank robbers dressed as Santa Claus come in through the front door, guns ablazing. In the violence that follows, Nate is knocked out and Sherry is kidnapped by the robbers.
They exit the branch in a hail of bullets that take out all the police.
As he awakes from his concussion (boy can this kid take a punch) he sees his new love being thrown into one of two getaway cars, speeding out of sight.
Nate grabs one of the unmanned police cars and takes off after his girl.
Directors Dan Berk and Robert Olsen navigate a smooth balance between the Wick-style violence, well choreographed mayhem and big laughs.
I'm not going to reveal anything that happens in the film after Nate roars away from the bank, save the fact that the screenplay by Lars Jacobsen has one big & clever right turn that I never saw coming.
Ray Nicholson from "Smile 2" (hey he's Jack's son, what's going on here) is well cast as lead robber SImon. You better do what Simon Says.
Jacob Batalon (Ned, Spider-Man's sidekick in the recent film series) is hilarious as Nate's gaming buddy Roscoe, who he's never met in person. Batalon & Quaid share a relaxed and funny chemistry that plays well throughout the caper.
Matt Walsh brings his "Veep" comic timing to the role of a Detective who was counting on a much quieter holiday. His partner, the by-the-book Mincy is well played by Betty Gabriel (Get Out, Defending Jacob). Mincy senses from the start that Nate isn't who he seems to be. He's stolen a police car from the robbery and sped off with the bad guys, but why did he stop to put a tourniquet on a wounded officer?
Meanwhile, Nate is blazing a destructive trail across San Diego in pursuit of his newly found, true love. The amount of graphic violence and body damage he sustains and inflicts drives BIG laughs.
I was hoping for that, and it delivered.
What I didn't expect were the moments of heart that the film offers up.
An early scene finds Nate trying everything he can to avoid foreclosing on the home of loyal customer Earl (Lou Beatty Jr.), whose just lost his wife. Nate goes above and beyond to stall and we feel Earl's gratitude.
There are sincere, sweet moments between Nate and Sherry on that date that feel more genuine than most relationships you'd ever see in an action film. There's a clever moment during the date when they meet an old high school tormentor of Nate's at the bar. Think about that scene after the film ends and I bet you see it in a brand new light.
When the film switches to action/comedy mode, it never lets up.
REM's "Everybody Hurts" has never been so prophetic and the action music score by Lorne Balfe (Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning) rocks the movie house in full orchestral style.
Jack Quaid's got star power. He reminded me of his Dad in "Innerspace" in moments of this film. He's an every man caught up in a crazy quest and he'll stop at nothing to get his girl. You've got to have a certain presence to get away with that. Quaid's bleeds it. All over every set.
NOVOCAINE is a fast, fun and intensely violent action flick with heart. Betraying its title, it actually makes you feel every adrenaline rush. I'll smash, stab, shoot and punch it with a very solid B.
R-rated Red Band trailer below.
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